Paradox Interactive is opening two new servers for Salem: The Crafting MMO, as they expand the beta test for their upcoming free to play project that apparently takes the G out of MMOG. Here's word on how to try to get a beta key as well as plans for a live stream of the game tomorrow night:

The New World is expanding! Paradox Interactive and Seatribe today announced that Salem: The Crafting MMO, PC Free-to-play, has launched two additional servers this week, allowing for more beta testers to enter a fantastical New England and carve a new life for themselves in the uncharted wilderness during the colonial period.

To commemorate the event, Paradox Interactive will begin distributing beta keys to those that have yet to experience 17th century living in a world filled with alchemy, witchcraft, and permadeath. For details on how to set sail for the Americas, visit the beta sign up site Salem: The Crafting here: http://beta.salemthegame.com

In order to help new arrivals succeed in Salem: The Crafting MMO, Paradox Interactive and Seatribe will host a live stream that will give players an upper hand in safely traversing the lands surrounding Boston—Salem’s starting point—by introducing the game world to them and giving valuable guidance in the form of tips and an understanding of basic fundamentals in-game. Tune into the broadcast at 8pm CET/2pm EST/11am PST, Thursday November 8, here: http://www.twitch.tv/paradoxinteractive

For details on the Lovecraft-inspired title, please visit the official Salem: The Crafting MMO game site at http://www.salemthegame.com

i'm not trying to encourage anyone. ironically, i would be happy if the mmo fotm crew steers clear of this one. someone called the devs ignorant for having permadeath and i was simply responding to that comment.

Slayblaze wrote on Nov 7, 2012, 14:45:Yes I've gotten into it, and basically "maxed out" everything one can possibly do (so far) as far as learning every skill, and crafted every possible item, and built every structure and have several villages under my control. It takes a while, a couple months at least to get there but the depth and complexity is much more than first impressions may give.[snip]

Interesting info - thanks, will take a look.Though my primary concern is since F2P... how does the cash shop work? Does it turn into a P2W scenario, especially with permadeath involved? Or is everything just aesthetic?

I disagree that permadeath must lead to the destruction of the game. I firmly believe that it can be made into a viable, even enjoyable feature. Not that anyone seems to be interested in actually trying to make it so. The biggest point would seem to be keeping the costs of starting over to a minimum.

Paranoia, as a table-top game did fine with limited clones (lose all six, start a new character), in large part because character creation took only a couple minutes...the fun was in causing/getting into trouble, not in surviving it.

Bah, I don't "try" for beta keys anymore. I just wait for open beta or the official release. I used to think it was a big deal working and waiting for weeks or months to get a key and then eventually getting in, but now, after getting into too many that I just don't end up playing (usually because they took way too long to send me a key so I lost all interest), I just don't care that much to work at it anymore. Just let me know when it's out for real (or it's an open beta). Too many great games to play these days as it is!

DrSquick wrote on Nov 7, 2012, 13:09:Has anyone been able to get into this game? I have tried a couple times, and I just don't get it... I absolutely love crafting, it is my favorite part of MMOs. I also kinda love farming games, so this seemed like the perfect game; but I just don't get it.

If anyone has been able to get into it, do you have any good resources or tips?

Yes I've gotten into it, and basically "maxed out" everything one can possibly do (so far) as far as learning every skill, and crafted every possible item, and built every structure and have several villages under my control. It takes a while, a couple months at least to get there but the depth and complexity is much more than first impressions may give. It's a true open sandbox, no quests no levels and almost no guidance or set goals beyond the first few steps so you pretty much create your own game within the framework laid out. There are several game mechanics that are very original and difficult to grasp (such as the Gluttony system) even for the experienced well-educated old school Gamer, and a different game pace than almost everything else out there that takes some getting used to. The learning curve is odd also - very very slow at first and simply finding a good place to build a small settlement in the huge unexplored New World can take days of real-world time. At first you can find and "see" almost nothing, but as you progress the items which can be found increases exponentially until eventually your screen and minimap is literally filled with forage-able treasure just waiting to be gathered while exploring.

DrSquick wrote on Nov 7, 2012, 13:09:Has anyone been able to get into this game? I have tried a couple times, and I just don't get it... I absolutely love crafting, it is my favorite part of MMOs. I also kinda love farming games, so this seemed like the perfect game; but I just don't get it.

If anyone has been able to get into it, do you have any good resources or tips?

Yeah, I've tried a few times to get into the game also and for the life of me I just cannot do it. I have no clue why as I also love this style of game in any MMO, so meh.

Has anyone been able to get into this game? I have tried a couple times, and I just don't get it... I absolutely love crafting, it is my favorite part of MMOs. I also kinda love farming games, so this seemed like the perfect game; but I just don't get it.

If anyone has been able to get into it, do you have any good resources or tips?

Permadeath eventually equals failure to any game. Why include such a stupid mechanism? Brain dead developers is why. They really should look at how other popular games with good crafting did it because their crafting design is not very good.